Ive recently come across mentions of a DGBE bouzouki in some books and websites. Was just wondering is there any one out there playing one or have come across one or is it just for guitar players who dont want to learn a different instrument...
A lot of 4-course ( 8-string ) bouzoukis were tuned CFAD, which was the 'trad' Greek tuning. ie a tone flat from guitars. Maybe somebody just took it up a tone ( and watched the neck bending and the soundboard collapsing ).
A Greek 'zouk doesn't have the strength to be tuned as tight as an 'irish' one.
"A lot of 4-course ( 8-string ) bouzoukis were tuned CFAD, which was the 'trad' Greek tuning."
CFAD is the modern Greek tuning for the bouzouki. The older, 3-course bouzouki, used in the Rembetiko songs of the early C20 (and by Alec Finn and Sean O Loinnsigh in Ireland) is tuned DAD or EBE.
"A Greek 'zouk doesn't have the strength to be tuned as tight as an 'irish' one."
But, if you want to tune it DGBE, there's nothing to stop you using lighter string gauges. The scale length is typically about 670mm (compared with ~650mm on a guitar), so you'd want them bit lighter than the corresponding strings on a guitar. Say: 0.009, 0.012, 0.020w/0.009, 0.025w/0.011 (for octave tuning on the G and D, should you want it).
I've never come across anyone using this tuning in Irish music, but plenty of people use standard-tuned guitar, so why not try it?
I certainly agree that there's nothing to stop one using these tunings with the neccessary lighter strings, but I reckon that anyone who has converted to an 'irish' bouzouki would be very disappointed with both tone and projection if they went back to a Greek bouzouki.
My old one sits in a corner, and I have no great desire to take it out for nostalgia's sake - it was a stepping stone to better things.
Sometimes I play a cheap octave mandolin/ zouk/ wotteffah for session backing tuned DGBE.
I looked at the "standard" 'zouk tuning of GDAE and realized all I had to do was tune the A string up a tone to B and reverse the D and G strings and bingo! This means you end up with your G strings higher and thinner than your D's but it doesn't matter if you are chording. It's also reminiscent of re-entrant uke tuning but that's another story!
Like I always say, there are no standard tunings for the 'zouk, people are just making it up as they go along.
Having said that, I prefer the GDae, for melody or chording, as it's easily transferable to mandolin, tenor banjo ( if I can bring myself to pick one up ), etc..
Krick, you're really gonna confuse anyone who borrows your instrument.
And I once picked up a cittern tuned ADGAD, and was equally thrown - it wasn't the full DADGAD for guitar, it wasn't 5ths like a mando-family, it was weird. Everyone to their own.
DGBE Bouzouki
DGBE Bouzouki
Ive recently come across mentions of a DGBE bouzouki in some books and websites. Was just wondering is there any one out there playing one or have come across one or is it just for guitar players who dont want to learn a different instrument...
# Posted on April 13th 2009 by backerwannabe
Re: DGBE Bouzouki
A lot of 4-course ( 8-string ) bouzoukis were tuned CFAD, which was the 'trad' Greek tuning. ie a tone flat from guitars. Maybe somebody just took it up a tone ( and watched the neck bending and the soundboard collapsing ).
A Greek 'zouk doesn't have the strength to be tuned as tight as an 'irish' one.
# Posted on April 13th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: DGBE Bouzouki
"A lot of 4-course ( 8-string ) bouzoukis were tuned CFAD, which was the 'trad' Greek tuning."
CFAD is the modern Greek tuning for the bouzouki. The older, 3-course bouzouki, used in the Rembetiko songs of the early C20 (and by Alec Finn and Sean O Loinnsigh in Ireland) is tuned DAD or EBE.
"A Greek 'zouk doesn't have the strength to be tuned as tight as an 'irish' one."
But, if you want to tune it DGBE, there's nothing to stop you using lighter string gauges. The scale length is typically about 670mm (compared with ~650mm on a guitar), so you'd want them bit lighter than the corresponding strings on a guitar. Say: 0.009, 0.012, 0.020w/0.009, 0.025w/0.011 (for octave tuning on the G and D, should you want it).
I've never come across anyone using this tuning in Irish music, but plenty of people use standard-tuned guitar, so why not try it?
# Posted on April 14th 2009 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: DGBE Bouzouki
I certainly agree that there's nothing to stop one using these tunings with the neccessary lighter strings, but I reckon that anyone who has converted to an 'irish' bouzouki would be very disappointed with both tone and projection if they went back to a Greek bouzouki.
My old one sits in a corner, and I have no great desire to take it out for nostalgia's sake - it was a stepping stone to better things.
# Posted on April 14th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: DGBE Bouzouki
Sometimes I play a cheap octave mandolin/ zouk/ wotteffah for session backing tuned DGBE.
I looked at the "standard" 'zouk tuning of GDAE and realized all I had to do was tune the A string up a tone to B and reverse the D and G strings and bingo! This means you end up with your G strings higher and thinner than your D's but it doesn't matter if you are chording. It's also reminiscent of re-entrant uke tuning but that's another story!
# Posted on April 14th 2009 by Krick Stahlschwanz
Re: DGBE Bouzouki
Like I always say, there are no standard tunings for the 'zouk, people are just making it up as they go along.
Having said that, I prefer the GDae, for melody or chording, as it's easily transferable to mandolin, tenor banjo ( if I can bring myself to pick one up ), etc..
Krick, you're really gonna confuse anyone who borrows your instrument.
And I once picked up a cittern tuned ADGAD, and was equally thrown - it wasn't the full DADGAD for guitar, it wasn't 5ths like a mando-family, it was weird. Everyone to their own.
# Posted on April 14th 2009 by Guernsey Pete